Transformations News from the Fistula Foundation, Spring 2006 Dr. Hamlin Opens IN THIS ISSUE 2nd of Five Mini-Hospitals PAGE 2 | Letter from Dr. Catherine Hamlin, One step closer to eradicating fistula Founder of the Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital The Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital opened its second mini-hospital in the Northern Ethiopian city of Mekele on February 7, 2006. Dr. Hamlin's warm smile beamed PAGE 2 | Bridget Leahy nearly as brightly as the Ethiopian embodies the Holiday Spirit sun, as her team moved closer to realizing their long term dream of # PAGE 2 | St. John United eradicating the tragedy of fistula Lutheran honors the late from Ethiopia. Gunvar Bartrand-Larson The mini-hospital in Mekele is the 2nd of five planned permanent PAGE 3 | Hospital welcomes facilities being built around Ethiopia International Partners to help fistula sufferers who are spread throughout the countryside. PAGE 4 | The Dignity For years doctors and nurses from Bracelet: A Story of Giving the Hospital in the capital of Addis Ababa have been traveling to Mini-hospitals now open in Mekele and Bahr Dahr. regional hospitals to operate on New mini-hospitals will eventually operate in fistula victims who could not make Metu, Harrar and Yirgalem too. the journey to Addis Ababa. The new mini-hospitals will allow Dr. Hamlin and her team to double their treatment capacity in five years, and triple it in ten years. The mini-Hospital in Mekele was made possible by generous donations from the Australian government and private donors. The Fistula Foundation, with inspiring support from the Ethiopian- American Community Dr. Hamlin opens new Mini-Hospital in Northern Ethiopia continued on page 4 Bridget A letter from Dr. Catherine Hamlin Leahy embodies Dear friends, the Holiday I know you will all be so excited and pleased to hear that this month we Spirit opened our second Fistula mini-hospital - for the women of Tigray Province in Bridget Leahy is in many ways the Northern Ethiopia City of Mekele. your typical 17 year-old high school senior. She's actively The actual opening ceremony was on engaged in her school and looking February 7th. The sun shone down forward to college next year. brightly when we all gathered in front of our new building - sitting on chairs But, unlike most other young and under awnings! Many speeches were women her age, Bridget decided made. The spacious ward looked lovely to give her time, energy and with its beds all in place and curtains on money this past Holiday season the windows. We are grateful to have to benefit patients at the Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital. She not such a hospital dedicated to help cure only donated her own Christmas the fistula patients of this huge money to the Foundation, she Province, with its 6 million inhabitants! also sent out a special message Our new mini-hospital is a wonderful and generous gift from Australia, so our with her family's Christmas cards hearts are enormously thankful. I could fill this letter with news of this day, but to 100 families. Bridget wrote must tell you of other events as well. “I feel so strongly about this Foundation that I was moved to For two days immediately after the opening we were here at our hospital, meeting raise money... Around this holiday with representatives from overseas supporting organizations, including friends season , I am asking that you look from the Fistula Foundation in the United States. This was a profitable and very deep into your hearts (and your worthwhile time - as we discussed the future and shared our aims and vision for pockets) so together we can make our work - especially our future sustainability. a difference in these delicate girls' lives.” Bridget raised over $1500. I am pleased to have money invested for our future needs. This is a comfort, How fortunate the Hospital is to especially for me - to know that the women even years ahead who will still be have angels like Bridget acting on suffering, can be sure of help, until the day dawns when there are no longer any their behalf. fistula sufferers in Ethiopia! I just hope there are people with vision to see this need, and who will help as we seek to secure the future. I feel sure there are some who will be glad to think they are helping women in 2020 and 2030! I know that FISTULA FOUNDATION with God's help we shall succeed, as He has never failed us in the past. BOARD OF DIRECTORS With warm greetings from our staff, and with my love. Abaynesh Asrat Ato Tekalign Gedamu (honorary) Kate Grant (ex-officio) Deborah Harris Kassahun Kebede Cleopatra Kiros S Linda Levee Paul Allan Rosenfield, MD Gerald Shefren, MD G Mary Tadesse In Robert Tessler, Esq. C Whitney Tilson G Larry William, MD sa Et fo in so St. John United Lutheran Church Members: From left to right: the late Gunvar Bartrand- 2 | Larson, Linda Hedlund, Rosemary Esbeck, Anna Falck, Carolyn Lofgren, Mary Jo Tapp g Hospital Welcomes International Partners On February 9 and 10th Dr. Hamlin patient treatment capacity with the and her senior team at the Addis opening of the five new mini-hospitals Ababa Fistula Hospital, Mr. Mark throughout Ethiopia. Bennett, CEO and Sister Ruth Kennedy, Liaison Officer, hosted The Foundation was able to share guests from seven countries supporting its experiences and learn from other the work of the Hospital. This is only organizations from the United the second time in its 32 year history Kingdom, Australia, Japan, the the Hospital has held such a gathering. Netherlands, Sweden, and the newest Mark Bennett was able to share his organization in New Zealand, the vision for the Hospital's future, home country of the late husband of including the planned tripling of Dr. Hamlin, and Fistula Hospital co- Deborah Harris (Foundation Board Member and Founder, Women of Vision of Charlotte) and Dr. Catherine Hamlin founder. Dr. Reginald Hamlin. Participants from the Fistula Foundation in the U.S. included Board members, Kassy Kebede (chair), Dr. Larry William and Deborah Harris, and staff members Kate Grant, Anne Ferguson and Julia Whatley. The Hospital was also delighted to welcome representatives from the Silverton Foundation, founder Pam Ryan and Andy White, Executive Director, and his wife Karen, and Steve Saunders of Texas and his children Kate and Ian. Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: International Partners Meeting in February St. John United Lutheran honors the late Gunvar Bartrand-Larson n early 2004, the women of St. John United Lutheran Though Ms. Bartrand-Larson passed away just before Church in Seattle, Washington gathered at the home of Christmas in 2004, at the age of 92, her loving friends Gunvar Bartrand-Larson. Her friends at St. John United's carried out her wish by raising money for the Hospital. aid Gunvar had a lifetime interest in the well being of The group held Church hoagie sales, rummage sales and thiopian children. After World War II she set up a school the like. In addition, the Mission Endowment Committee or nurses in Ethiopia and had supported an orphanage of the Church contributed matching funds. The n Addis Ababa. Gunvar's one last wish was to do Foundation was honored to receive the donation of omething charitable and she decided to organize a $10,110.94 in memory of their dear friend Gunvar roup at her church to support the Fistula Hospital. Bartrand-Larson. | 3 Transformations A publication of One step closer... continued from page 1 The Fistula Foundation through the Tesfa Ineste program will • Treatment 1171 Homestead Road fund the building of the mini-hospital • Prevention Suite 265 in Harrar, in Eastern Ethiopia. • Education Santa Clara, CA 95050 Each of the mini-hospitals will include Tel: 408.249.9596 a 20-bed ward, an operating room, The next of the five mini-hospitals, Toll-free: 866.756.3700 educational facilities as well as other the one in Yirgalem, in Southern Fax: 408.516.9904 essential facilities. The purposes of the Ethiopia is scheduled to open [email protected] mini-hospitals are three fold: later this spring. Stay tuned! www.fistulafoundation.org Foundation representatives attend opening with Dr. Hamlin. Anne Ferguson (Operations Director), Julia Whatley (Donor Relations Director), Dr. Catherine Hamlin, Kate Grant (Executive Director), New fistula mini-hospital opened in Mekele, Northern Ethiopia Kassy Kebede (Board Chair), Dr. Larry William (Board Member) THE DIGNITY BRACELET: A STORY OF GIVING Like many who saw the January 2004 Fistula Hospital. “It was an incredible, episode of The Oprah Winfrey Show life-changing experience for me. Dr. featuring Dr. Catherine Hamlin, Sue Hamlin is as loving, kind, genuine and Hoese had never heard of an obstetric gracious as she appeared to be on The fistula. The show opened her eyes and Oprah Winfrey Show. I admire the way moved her to take action. She founded a she truly lives her faith.” group called the “Bead Together Circle of Friends” to make beaded bracelets for When Sue returned home to patients at the hospital, and to raise Minneapolis, she felt she had to do even more. “My 'Bead Together' friends and I awareness of obstetric fistula and raise so moved by the plight of the fistula decided to design a message bracelet funds for the Fistula Foundation. women that she is manufacturing and that women around the world could distributing the bracelet at cost. Donors By October 2004, she wear to support this cause.” Sue con - can obtain a bracelet from the Fistula and her friends had tact ed the Fistula Foundation with her Foundation for a gift of $125 or more.